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INTERNATIONAL FIRMS FIRM BRIEFINGS The firm was heavily involved in corporate dispute resolution while


on the transactional side it advised a string of clients in oil and gas and mining M&A in Liberia, Ghana, Zambia and Nigeria. A large projects matters saw Alan Rae Smith (finance) and Sarah Falk (tax) advise Petro- fac on a $500 million strategic alliance with exploration company Bowleven for the development of the Etinde Permit gas and condensate reserve off the coast of Cameroon.


Gide Loyrette Nouel


2012 Firm Overview Active jurisdictions


Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Congo (Republic of ), Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, DRC, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Lesotho, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda


Highlight clients IFC, Total E&P, Scatec Solar, Government of Congo


Key offices London, Paris, Beijing


Most active disciplines


Disputes, corporate, M&A, sovereign states, project finance, EPC, regulatory and compliance


Key sectors Mining and metals, oil and gas, power, ports, rail


Law capability English, French


Key partners John Crothers, François Krotoff


Gide Loyrette Nouel is arguably the leading French firm for Africa work in energy and infrastructure. François Krotoff is one of the most senior and experienced practitioners in the market for Africa while the firm also has a strong contentious practice in the sector under Carole Mal- invaud, Rupert Reece and Christian Camboulive. Understandably, due to its familiarity with OHADA laws, the team


has a good franchise in Francophone Africa above all and in advising DFIs and sovereign states; for example, it has recently been advising the government of Congo on upstream oil and gas matters. John Crothers has a strong track record advising the IFC and many com- mentators recommend the firm in power projects especially. Through 2012 the firm worked on a series of interesting projects spanning the energy sector in particular.


Matters The firm’s highlight dispute cases of 2012 took place in Cote d’Ivoire. A key case saw Michel Pitron advise Trafigura Group before civil and criminal courts following the dumping of toxic waste in 2006 in Abid- jan. The firm, led by Carole Malinvaud and Rupert Reece, has also been representing Dutch Medical Group in arbitration over contracts for medical facilities in Angola and elsewhere, advising the Ministry of Mines of Cote d’Ivoire in negotiations over cross-border oil and gas fields with Ghana. François Krotoff advised Société de Production d’Electricité à partir


du Gaz (SPEG) on a $600 million joint-venture and project financing for a 300MW gas power project in Mauritania and Congo’s Ministry of Hydro-carbons on updating the legal framework pertaining to up- stream activities. A highlight projects deal saw John Crothers act for IFC InfraVen-


tures and Scatec Solar on the concession agreement and development of four solar plants in Mali with a capacity of 600MW, marking one of the first large solar complexes in the region.


Movers and shakers


In May 2012 Baker & McKenzie made a bold move into South Africa launching an office in Johannesburg with lawyers and staff from the defunct Dewey & LeBoeuf office. The team is well established in the country’s energy market. In late 2012 the firm then reinforced the hire with a team of dispute lawyers.


Following the launch of its South Africa office in June 2011 through a merger with local firm Deneys Reitz, in October 2012 Norton Rose opened an office in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, under former Clyde & Co partner Adam Lovett (UK law) and Angela Mndolwa (Tanzanian law).


In January 2013, Linklaters and South African firm Webber Wentzel launched their collaborative alliance. The Webber Wentzel in alliance with Linklaters joint-venture is overseen by London based Linklaters partners Sandeep Katwala, Andrew Jones and Patrick Sheil.


Also in January 2013, Clyde & Co officially launched its own branded office in Tanzania, although the firm has had an office on the ground since 2006. Peter Kasanda and Kibuta Ongwamuhana (from local association firm Ako Law) will run the office.


In March 2013, McDermott Will & Emery recruited a seasoned Africa energy team of three from Fasken Martineau in Paris, led by Jean- Claude Petilon. Liliane Doukouré and Matthieu Adam joined as counsels in the energy practice.


In early 2013, Herbert Smith Freehills was preparing to launch an office in Conakry, Guinea, largely to follow up on the vast Rio Tinto Simandou iron ore mining project in the country. The experienced Paris projects partner Bertrand Montembault will take initial charge of the office.


Highlight matters in 2012


• Independence of South Sudan: ICSID arbitration between South Sudan and North Sudan over oil rights (ongoing) and the negotiation of new contract agreements between the South Sudan government and oil companies – contracts signed January 2012.


• Tullow’s $2.9 billion farm out of two thirds of its licenses in Uganda’s Lake Alberta region to Total and the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) – February 2012.


• PAIDF’s acquisition of a 20% stake in the company building and operating the Marcory Bridge in Côte d’Ivoire – June 2012.


• Thailand’s PTT Exploration and Production’s acquisition of Cove Energy, which owns a stake in the Rovuma Basin, Mozambique, for $1.9 billion – July 2012.


• Azito Phase III Thermal Power Plant’s $350 million project financing from a number of IFIs and banks in Côte d’Ivoire – October 2012.


• The $250 million project financing and development of the 100MW Dorper Wind Project (financing from ABSA, Nedbank and SMBC) in South Africa – November 2012.


• Bharat Petroleum’s $700 million financing for exploration costs and the acquisition of a 10% stake in the Rovuma Basin, Mozambique – November 2012.


• Sundance Resources’ $4.5 billion development of the Mbalam/Nabeda iron ore mine, rail and port project in Cameroon and Republic of Congo – convention signed November 2012.


16 ENERGY & INFRASTRUCTURE | SUB SAHARAN AFRICA 2013


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